What does it look like to pray continually?
What does it look like to be fully focused on God and totally aware of the world around me?
And how do I do that, whilst talking to my friends about Jesus?
These are some of the questions to do with prayer and evangelism that I’ve been trying to find answers to since I first began to realise these two things can and should go together. When I was about 13, a group of young people from different churches in my area went into the centre of town and offered to pray for anybody who we felt God was particularly wanting us to chat with. We’d pray before we went out, asking God to describe people and locations, and then go up to them and tell them God cared about them and ask to pray- and it was terrifying! It was also amazing when we would find someone who fit the exact description, in the exact location, with the same name that God had given us when we prayed, and we could show them just how much God loves them.
Recently, I’ve been working out what this can look like at uni and with my friends. I’ve found Paul’s advice to the Ephesians really helpful-
“18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. 19 Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.” – Ephesians 6:18-20 (NIV)
This verse reminds me of something incredibly important- we don’t do any of this alone! Paul tells them to ‘pray in the Spirit’ and asks that ‘words may be given me’. He doesn’t tell them to come up with anything by themselves but sends them straight to God, not just for the words to say but for the courage to say them. It’s so simple and yet so easy to forget. God loves our friends, he knows them, he created them… and he loves us and wants to speak to and help us. So why wouldn’t we take time to speak with and listen to God, before, after and whilst we talk to people about him.
I’m hoping you’re agreeing with me that this is a good idea, so here are some simple ways I’ve tried to do this at university:
1. Commit to pray regularly for particular friends and family, and pray for opportunities to talk about Jesus with them
2. Ask, at as many points as I can remember during the day, “God where are you and what are you doing?”
3. In conversations with friends, ask God what he’s wanting to say to them and what advice he wants to give
4. Offer to pray for friends or mention that I have been or will pray for them
5. Escape & Pray
